Kinesthesia

(For James A. Gardner)

INDEX

Sunset dreams the townfrom simple flesh to being: murmur of voices from porch-shadows; breathstirring twilightleaves, pine- needlescent;and the silent greyfieldjustoutside the limits, inchurchshadow, there, too,is the interminable hum. It is a sense that can only be through conflation:by portmanteau into apprehension.And I hear as ifdistantly in passing beyondthe arc of kitchenglow (alone on the street)just outofrange: fathervoice calling an evenwish; cattle-in-the-barns; insect and nightbird; lovers quarrelsoft. * little town *Slow progress of lampswinking out from center climbing steepstreet dark toward townedge.Sleepy horses.Child cries for one-more-gamebefore the coverturning, the G-dblessing.Damp taste of metal on nightbreeze: "storm comin' up" * lumpthroat *And it is not with us now as it was then (twinbreathing) of softwind and lullulation Something broke the dam and the lachrymal flood poured forth:the confusion of innocence blamed for this conditionstrikes glowworm avenues beneathchestnut and darkelm passing: blight invasion; goldenhome made dim; clapboards cracking; dust has overtakenOne by oneUntil all that is left are these: Whispergrate of steps on gravelpath; strayboard and brokenpane; darkness at roadsnarrow; and hills beyondwhere phantoms of invisible and forgotten adventures cry for one-last-ocean, onelast morningdance.But town's shut down tight by ghostmachine: Doctor chokes on aneurism; Tinker succumbs to rust; Lamplighter drops the tallow; Vine withers cattle going dry motherand night is still.There is no one word for some things. No one wordCutsky razorslash and forklightshake the fundament as greyfieldopens (skull) opens (mouth) * shadowover * * eyestartle * ( cast from dream )* the only way to break * out of that blaste m e r g i n g (There is no one word) Last lamp left shiningon the black height terminal trees final f i r e f l y